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Tamal de olla
Chicken tamal stew
Tamal de olla: Panama's Christmas 'tamal in a pot' with chicken, raisins and olives
Tamal de olla is Panama's easy answer to Christmas tamales: instead of wrapping dozens of parcels, the corn masa and a saucy chicken filling with raisins, olives and capers are layered in a pot or baking dish and cooked together, then scooped onto plates for the Christmas Eve dinner. It is moist, savoury and slightly sweet, coloured gold with achiote. Chef's tip: cook the masa with the chicken broth on the hob until it pulls from the pan before baking, so the tamal sets but stays soft.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs, bone-in
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 green pepperchopped
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 2 ⅛ oz raisins
- 2 ⅛ oz green olivessliced
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1 handful culantro or corianderchopped
For the masa
- 1 ⅛ lb masa harina
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs, bone-in in 6 ¼ cups water with 2 tsp salt for 40 minutes, until cooked through and 165°F at the bone. Lift out, keep the broth, and shred the meat, discarding skin and bones.
40 minStep 2: Fry 1 onion, 1 green pepper and 3 cloves garlic in 3 tbsp oil for 6 minutes, add 1 cup tomato passata and 200 ml of broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken, 2 ⅛ oz raisins, 2 ⅛ oz green olives, 1 tbsp capers and 1 handful culantro or coriander.
16 minStep 3: Mix 1 ⅛ lb masa harina and 1 tsp salt with 1 litre of the warm broth in a pot, then add 4 tbsp achiote oil or oil with 1 tsp paprika. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 10–15 minutes, until it is thick and comes away from the sides.
15 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Spread half the masa in an oiled baking dish or pot, spoon in the chicken filling and cover with the rest of the masa.
Step 5: Bake for 40 minutes, until set and golden at the edges. A common mistake is skipping the hob cooking, which leaves a raw, grainy masa.
40 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes before scooping out.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tamal de olla take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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